My G4 shuts down when I launch an internet application.

Question

I have a 15" Apple Studio Display Monitor (M2454) that connects to the port of my G4 Quicksilver, and every time I launch an internet application like Safari, Firefox, or AOL, my System Preferences application also launches (on its own), and comes up with the "Displays" window. Then the entire computer shuts down.
I've tried an older monitor which doesn't take its power from the G4, and it hasn't given me any trouble, but I'm at a loss as to what is going on with the Apple monitor. I'm not even certain if this is a hardware problem, or is software-related.
I'm hooked up to Verizon DSL, if that has any relevance.
Advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

Here's a follow up to the above post.
I experimented a bit more with the Apple Studio monitor, and used the "Display" control panel to lower the resolution from 1024x768 to something like 612x384. I wondered if it would make any difference, and it certainly did. It made things worse.
When the monitor switched to this new setting, it shut down the computer again. I rebooted, and it came back with the lower resolution, but now I can't even open any folders on the desktop without the hard drive shutting down.
First the power light on the monitor starts glowing, then the brightness indicator (on the lower left) comes on, and then it all shuts down.
Is it the fault of the monitor? is it a software glitch? That's my biggest source of frustration. I'm perfectly willing to buy a new monitor, but I hate to go that route if it turns out to have been unnecessary.
Where are all the experts when I need them?